History Guest Lecture : Philosophy of History

History Guest Lecture

18.03.2017

Dr. Sharad Rathore introduced Prof. Aditya Pratap Deo, from St. Stephens College, Delhi on Fellowship deputation to Indian Institute of Advanced Studies,Shimla

Prof. Aditya Pratap Deo addressed the students on the Philosophy of  History, while talking about  the research avenues of History.  Putting forth research aspects of different disciplines he said for Historians ‘Time’ of the event was the bread and butter. Time he said was not same for all. He encouraged and asked students if they  knew of Anne Frank, he related that for her ‘Time stood still’! Time could be linear or cyclic but historians are picky, wicked and interested in certain issues only. Thus man’s work became important and women’s work drudgery is not reflected in History. Time seen is linear when primitive tribals are the past and progress is future.  In reality Tribals are closer to nature and progress has led to destruction, making progress and civilization a problem. Historians are in league in their assumptions with scientist and governments who make time into neat, simple and good looking slots like divine and mortal. Those who dominated the world wrote History. Historians need to recover time, like Tanika Sarkar has done in her reflections of Ras Sundari. There are no sources of such History so imagination is required even though it is a bad word in History!

A student accorded the formal Vote of Thanks.